INFO | What They Are Saying about Grace Burrell
INFO | What They Are Saying about Cas Kopmels
 
Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University seniors Grace Burrell and Cas Kopmels are the 2024 South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winners for cross country, league officials announce this week. Both Burrell and Kopmels are honored for the first time in their respective careers.
 
The SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented to one student-athlete from each of the conference's 22 championship sports. The SAC's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee votes on this honor. This prestigious award is given to the deserving recipient for their achievements in academics, athletics, service and leadership. Wingate has swept this award for four consecutive years.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate head cross country coach Pol Domenech on Grace Burrell:
 
"Grace's path has been unconventional. She arrived to Wingate as a very young athlete and not very confident…it has been my privilege to see first-hand her development as an athlete and as a person. She has turned into a leader on the team, always with a smile on her face and always there when her teammates need her."
 
"Grace holds a 3.896 GPA, which exemplifies her ability to perform well in the classroom, on top of her athletic achievements…and all of this while having multiple responsibilities on campus. We are so proud of her and we look forward to continue working with her during her last year as she finishes her degree in May."
 
Wingate head cross country coach Pol Domenech on Cas Kopmels:
 
"Since he arrived to Wingate in 2022 as a transfer, Cas has been a major contributor to the team. He has been twice an All-American in cross country and probably the one person that really came alive during the latter part of last year's NCAA race and made the necessary moves to help us win the '23 national championship."
 
"Cas holds a 3.950 GPA, which exemplifies his ability to perform well in the classroom, on top of his athletic achievements. He is a strong leader for our team and we are glad to have him with us. It is great to see his continuous development as a student-athlete and as a person."
 
The Grace Burrell file
Senior, Brentwood, United Kingdom
 
- Psychology major with a 3.896 cumulative GPA
- All-South Atlantic Conference first team three times
- Season-best times: 21:35.1 (6K, SAC) and 21:44.0 (6K, Lehigh)
- Added All-SER XC honors to her All-SAC XC award in '22
- Helped Wingate finish eighth at NCAAs in '23 and '24
- Serves as a paid research assistant in the WU Psychology PUPPY Lab
- Burrell studies prejudice and stereotypes in young children in this role
- Given her passion for animal rights, Burrell volunteers at her local animal sanctuary
- Burrell spends time over school breaks volunteering with her hometown running club
- Member, Wingate University Honors Program (two years)
- Currently writing a significant research paper with WU Honors Program faculty mentor
- In 2024, Burrell was nominated for the Psi Chi Society
- The Psi Chi Society is part of the International Honor Society in Psychology
 
The Cas Kopmels file
Senior, Leiden, The Netherlands
 
- Management major with a 3.950 cumulative GPA
- Kopmels has minors in economics and finance
- Two-time NCAA All-American, helping WU won '23 national title
- Kopmels earned his first AA honor as 'Dogs took second in '22 race
- Season-best times: 24:24.3 (8K, Lehigh) and 24:41.6 (8K, SAC)
- All-South Atlantic Conference, second team as WU won '24 league crown
- Wingate team captain during the '23 national championship season
- Kopmels and teammates volunteered with East Elementary School two years in a row
- The Bulldogs helped East run its Field Day event in '23 and '24
- Kopmels served as a tutor and supplemental instructional assistant for one year
- He filled this role with Wingate's Business Statistics class (paid position)
- During school breaks, Kopmels tutors students in his hometown (paid position)
- His primary focus in this role is high school math and economics
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 26 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 16 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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